#evolutionary advantage behavior

[in-sightpublishing]

Ask A Genius 1052: The Chris Cole Session 2, Reframe

Author(s): Rick Rosner and Scott Douglas Jacobsen Publication (Outlet/Website): Ask A Genius Publication Date (yyyy/mm/dd): 2024/08/01 Rick Rosner, American Comedy Writer, www.rickrosner.org Scott Douglas Jacobsen, Independent Journalist, www.in-sightpublishing.com Rick Rosner: So, you start with Chris’s simplified question.  Scott Douglas Jacobsen: Chris Cole asked one question in a…

[hotwifeky1]

Alpha Males, Sperm competition, and Cuckoldry

(our kinks from an evolutionary biology perspective)

The phenomenon where males experience an increase in desire and fertility when observing their mate engaging with another partner, is often referred to as "sperm competition risk"

From an evolutionary biology perspective, this behavior can be understood through several theories:

Sperm Competition Risk:

Increased Ejaculate Volume: Males typically respond to the perceived risk of sperm competition by greatly increasing the volume of their ejaculate. This is thought to function as a form of displacement, increasing the chances of their sperm outcompeting that of potential rivals.

Increased Sexual Arousal and Fertility: 

When males perceive or observe their partner with another mate, particularly when chance of sperm competition exist (other males trying to fertilize the same egg), this triggers an adaptive response in the form of greatly increased sexual arousal, desire and fertility. This is thought to be an adaptation to compete effectively in situations where multiple males are vying for the opportunity to father offspring. 

Potential benefits

From an evolutionary perspective, the heightened desire, arousal, focus, and drive provide a large competitive advantage. If there's a chance of sperm competition, being sexually impassioned increases the likelihood of the observing male's sperm fertilizing the egg. The continuous denial of sexual interaction further amplifies these benefits. By maintaining a state of heightened desire without immediate release, the observing male sustains an elevated level of reproductive readiness. This prolonged state of arousal becomes an advantageous strategy, potentially increasing the male's chances of success not only in reproduction but also in various aspects of everyday life. The surplus of energy, focus, and drive may contribute to success across different domains, aligning with the overarching goal of evolutionary fitness.

Cuckoldry Detection and Response:

Adaptive Jealousy: 

Evolutionary psychology suggests that males who exhibit jealousy and distress over potential infidelity may have had a reproductive advantage. 

This emotional response acts as a mechanism to deter a mate from engaging with other males, reducing the risk of cuckoldry. 

The cuckold male may also gather information by observing the mating behaviors of potential rivals. This is thought to be an adaptive strategy to understand the competition and adjust his own behaviors accordingly.

Paternal Investment: 

In species where males invest significantly in parenting, there is an evolved response to protect their paternal investment. The greatly Increased arousal along with increased romantic and sexual interest in response to perceived mate infidelity is a strategy to safeguard resources and parental care for their own genetic offspring.

The alpha male typically refers to a dominant and high-status male in a social group. The alpha male generally has preferential access to mates and reproductive opportunities.

Alpha Male Cuckoldry reproductive strategy:

Within the context of cuckoldry, the alpha male strategically reserves exclusive access to mates. Cuckoldry occurs when the non-dominant male knowingly or unknowingly raises offspring that do not carry his genetic material. 

This reproductive strategy is advantageous for the both the alpha male and his mate, allowing him to pass on his own genes while minimizing resource-intensive parental duties. The female benefits by mating with a genetically superior male while sharing parental responsibilities with the non-dominant male.

By ensuring that the non-dominant male invests in raising offspring that carry the alpha male's genetic legacy, this reproductive approach aligns with the collective goal of the female and alpha male, maximizing his reproductive success within the social structure. The alpha male's dominance and preferential access to mates become central elements in shaping the dynamics of cuckoldry as an evolutionary strategy.

Often, the non-dominant male, in his role, finds personal satisfaction in having his sexual and reproductive desires denied as he plays a crucial part in perpetuating the genetic lineage of the dominant alpha male rather than his own.

[alphynix]

Strange Symmetries #03: Eerie Early Echinoderms

Represented today by starfish, brittle stars, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and crinoids, the echinoderms have a characteristic five-way radial symmetry that makes them barely even recognizable as bilaterians. Their true ancestry is only revealed by their genetics and their larvae, which still retain bilateral symmetry – and the way they metamorphose into adults is bizarre, essentially growing a whole new radial body from within the left side of their larval body.

(Sea cucumbers and sand dollars are superficially bilateral as adults, but evolved this secondarily on top of their existing radial symmetry. And some adult echinoderms like starfish also seem to retain a little bit of "behavioral bilaterism", generally preferring to move with a specific arm always acting as their "front" end.)

The first known echinoderms appeared in the fossil record during the early Cambrian, about 525 million years ago, but the common ancestor of the whole group probably actually originated a few tens of millions of years earlier in the mid-to-late Ediacaran. Early echinoderms seem to have started off as flattened animals that sat on the seafloor filter-feeding, and with this largely immobile way of life their bodies started to shift into asymmetry, no longer constrained by the locomotory advantages of being bilaterally symmetric.

In fact, for these early sedentary filter-feeders being radial was actually much more advantageous, able to distribute sense organs all around their bodies and grab food from any direction without having to reposition themselves, converging on the lifestyle of non-bilaterian cnidarian polyps. The evolutionary transition from bilateral to asymmetrical to pentaradial seems to have happened incredibly quickly during the Cambrian Explosion, and all modern echinoderms probably evolved from a group called the edrioasteroids, maintaining their new base body plan even when they later began taking up more mobile lifestyles again.

But during the process of all that some very alien-looking lineages split off at various stages of anatomical weirdness.

Stylophorans had asymmetrical bodies with a single feeding arm at the front, and varied from irregular boot-like shapes to almost bilateral heart shapes depending on their specific ecologies. The highly asymmetrical forms were probably spreading their weight out over soft soupy mud in quiet waters, while the more bilateral forms may have been more streamlined to deal with stronger water currents.

Sokkaejaecystis serrata was a stylophoran that lived during the late Cambrian, about 501-488 million years ago, in what is now South Korea. It was tiny, only about 1cm long (~0.4"), and its boot-shaped body was surrounded by spines and flanges that spread out its surface area and probably also made it much more awkward for small predators to attempt to eat.

———

Meanwhile the solutes started off as immobile animals living attached to the seafloor via a stalk-like appendage. But fairly early in their evolution they switched to a more active mode of life, modifying their stems into tail-like "steles" that were used to push themselves along.

Maennilia estonica lived in what is now Estonia during the late Ordovician, about 450 million years ago. It was quite large for a solute at about 12cm long (~4.7"), with a sort of vaguely-trapezoidal body, a short feeding arm, and a long thin stele.

Both of these strange early echinoderm lineages were surprisingly successful, surviving for a good chunk of the Paleozoic Era alongside their more familiar radial relatives. The solutes lasted until the early Devonian about 400 million years ago, and the stylophorans continued all the way into the late Carboniferous about 310 million years ago.

———

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[evilminji]

OKAY. *slams open door in manic about to have opinions*

MAYBE i am binging so, SO much unhinged bnha fics? Have already sent this to all my mutual and is not ENOUGH? But everyone is focused on these BABIES and not the MOST unhinged of them all? You COWARDS!!!

That's RIGHT! Ya girl has been hitting the "yandere/obsessive/possessive" behavior tag on Ao3 and is REFUSING TO BE NORMAL ABOUT IT! I have THOUGHTS DAMN IT! AaaaaaaaaaAAAAAA-!!! *Flips table*

Why the FUCK everyone focusing on BABIES?

I get it, don't yuck someone else's yum. To each their own. I respect that. But ALSO? What lvl of unhinged could they POSSIBLY HAVE? They are FIVE. SMOOTH FACED TODDLER BABY BOYS! A CHILD!

Like? Listen...

You know how Quirks are basicly evolutionary advantages? Random protections that are hit or miss? I have touched on this before in my naruto WIP (that i never posted but shush), but there must exsist a theoretical opposite of killing intent.

A sort of loving/peaceful intent if you will. A SAFETY intent. Or, for the purposes of THIS scenario and slightly to the left of that, a "love me" field. Which? Unlike what the perverse might believe or suggest? Just makes the target... love you.

Not sexually desire.

Love. Care about. Emotional connection.

And, yeah, maybe i've just been reading too many fics where shigiraki do what shigiraki does, and he is his unhinged obsessed lil self. Too many unhinged yandere fics where i darkly mutter "you are forgetting their Core Character Motivatioooooons! Just write an OC!"

Because you can twist a characters personality WITHOUT forgetting who they ARE. Thats what makes it INTERESTING, after all. Seeing how it could go so very, very wrong. How a good emotion, taken too extreme, can corrupt! N it's not just "oh that means violence n cursing right? Immediately jumping to cruelty?"

Its the obsession. The need to consume. The manipulation and care in which they try and maintain the illusion. It isn't one crack and "whelp, fuck it I guess!". Every character is different! Breaks under the strain of 1000% loving someone, DIFFERENT. And it brings up FASCINATING dynamics n potential quirk reactions?

Cause a emotional quirk WILL work. Even on people who supposed "dont have any" emotions? Because thats not how the human body FUNCTIONS. They HAVE all the necessary components. They just have a disorder. The Quirk would be forcing their body to MIMIC "feel-Y.exe" and their body would go with that. How THEY would process that data? What would it FEEL like to THEM? Whole different story.

But they WOULD feel "love" in what ever capacity THEY understand it.

You don't want to hurt your BEST FRIEND do you? You love them. Your BELOVED SISTER? This CUTE CHILD? She seems so NICE. Or maybe it's a precious and to be protected PET? She doesn't know what she'll get, "love" is nebulous and multifaceted. Could be platonic, familial, romantic. The love of a comrade. But it's never failed BEFORE. (Not, that I imagine, she being a well adjusted young lady, would feel morally comfortable USING said quirk in such times of peace. On anybody.)

We're all friend here, right? No need to be aggressive! Hurt anybody! Let's all put our weapons down, yeah?

But! This runs into a PROBLEM. The fuckin Yandere. Your bog standard sociopath. Those to whom this love field/targeting/ray/what-have-you is either so completely foreign too or NOTICEABLE as to be ineffective. Or to whom "love" is AGGRESSIVE.

Who's concept of "love" would actually make the problem WORSE.

I bring this up? Because I am FACINATED by the concept of AfO falling in love.

He... he would be COMPLETELY unhinged about it. The very act would unlock LAYERS to his deeply fucked up, highly obsessive, mind games and bank vaults, squirrel brain.

But I don't think he'd ever WILLINGLY fall in love. Or even be capable. Might be a brain chemistry thing, honesty. But the very reason his CLINGS to his his brothers quirk? Is because his brother was HIS. They were connected. It was... the closest thing he understood to love. And he is unhinged even to this day about it.

EIGHT GENERATIONS OF USERS LATER.

So like? If he spooked some poor soul? With a "love me" quirk? And she, in terror, tried to blast this Scary Supervillian into Not Hurting Her? She would have NO WAY of knowing that she just made a HUGE fucking mistake. Like... conceivably, the WORST mistake.

Because all it would take? Is her NOT instantly dying. No reflexive "how dare you use your Quirk on me". And? The altered brain chemistry starts to kick in. He's suddenly getting?? All these NICE happy brain chemicals that his body has been fuckin STARVED off? Fascinating new sensations? Elevated mood?

It's fake. He KNOWS it's fake. :) But that doesn't mean he won't murder her if she STOPS :)

Looooove yoooou~♡

Does it shift in to real, deeply deranged, love? Impossible to tell. Someone for the LOVE OF GOD call All Might. But?? He's just such an unhinged MESS it's fascinating to explore how emotional quirks would even react to him? Fascinating to think about how he would REACT if he had a SECOND "little brother" scenario. A person he CARED about. But this time... WORSE because it was in a way he could somewhat comprehend AND he had FAR more power then before.

Would it derail everything? Would he be able to focus on his Machiavellian plans while being able to fold them into them? Would he fuckin CONSUME THEM like he did Tomura? Ultimate form of love, after all, to become HIM.

How long could she, the hypothetical Quirk holder, keep that Quirk ACTIVE? Fear is a powerful motivator.

Just?? Why are there not more fics about the Ultimate Creep, BEING CREEPY AND UNHINGED??? He's VERY GOOD AT IT. Has had a LOT OF PRACTICE. LET AfO be deeply insane, 2XXX!

[tg-headcanons]

Wait since ghouls bite as a kinda marriage thing, if they bite and hold onto someone during sexy times as an impulse/dominating thing, is that like the equivalent of accidentally saying 'I love you' to a casual sex partner???????

Ghoul bite instincts are WEIRD

(Partially under the cut for nsfw)

Ghouls have an instinctive instinct to bite things. It started as an evolutionary advantage to be able to attack very quickly when threatened, but when applied to social situations it gets weird.

The bite instinct comes of whenever ghouls are feeling overwhelmed. Sure that’s good in a fight, but it can also mean they start feeling it if they’re stressed at work or extremely excited or any time they’re too emotionally elevated. Normally they learn to control this in childhood, but there’s some times when it still comes up

Bites have shifted to show hierarchy and social dominance. Stronger ghouls who do not need to submit to pleasantries started the practice of biting others to show dominance, then it became a social norm of the biter being superior and the bitten being inferior. Many ghoul leaders will stake their claim on underlings by giving them a bite scar that is not reciprocated. Because of this norm, the act of allowing another ghoul to bite and then returning it had become a show of intimacy, and allowing it to scar a show of devotion

(Onto the nsfw)

Sex for ghouls is naturally a point where they’re can have the bite instinct come up. The general rules around it are that you shouldn’t do it to someone you respect if you’re not already close, if you do it by accident you have to get your teeth out fast so it doesn’t scar, and if you do it it’s fair game if the other person fights back

Bites during sex happen all the time, it’s a pretty normal ghoul sex mishap but no less embarrassing. It’s less an accidental “I love you” than it is an accidental “you have driven me wild to the point where I could not control myself and I did something embarrassing” thing. Not so much “oh shit they have really feelings for me” and more “LMAOOO VIRGIN BEHAVIOR”

Most adult ghouls have done it, but PLEASE don’t remind them

[otaku553]

can I ask what ur summer research was about?!!! :0 (u absolutely don't have to answer if ur not comfortable, I'm just a giant nerd and loves to hear about research dhdnfjdmdjfng)

Of course!!! I’d be glad to talk about it!!

In short, my research over the summer was putting mice in mazes and looking at how well they remember mazes, how quickly they learn the maze, and how learning one maze can help them learn other mazes faster. More detailed under the read more!

Previous maze studies with mice have shown that mice can actually learn very quickly when they’re learning behaviors that are in line with their own evolutionary advantages rather than arbitrary associations. It’s the difference between telling a mouse “go around these tunnels and try to find water to survive” vs telling it “do these very specific and completely useless 5 things and then you’ll get water”. Maze navigation for mice is already a natural complex behavior: mice are burrowing rodents and already have the predisposition for running around tunnels. We set up a maze and cameras and infrared lights around it to record it doing its thing, so that we can look at its natural behaviors with no human interference.

The unique thing about this project is less the behavior and rapid learning of the mouse and more the maze that we use for the study, called the Manhattan Maze. I think my mentor created it but I’m not too certain? But the basic concept of it, as shown in the figure above, is that there are two boxes of parallel tunnels and one layer of acrylic in the middle. Through holes in the acrylic, the mouse can climb between the two layers and make a “turn”. Essentially, this maze is the most reconfigurable setup for studying mouse behavior in mazes possible, because the middle layer of acrylic, which we call a mask, can be changed 2^(n^2) ways (n being the number of channels in a layer) to make completely different mazes. For the figure above, a 4x4 Manhattan maze, we have 2^16 possible different configurations, but we were actually running it on an 11x11 maze, so there were 2^121 different possible configurations! This way, we can look at the mouse in tons of different mazes without actually having to make a new maze altogether and transfer the mouse every time.

And they learn extremely fast! The mazes we used were pretty much linear paths with small dead ends that weren’t far off from the main path, and required 9 turning decisions to get from starting point to end point. There were 3 of these different masks, and after training for one day on one of them, the next day, almost all mice that completed the training managed to learn completely new 9-decision masks in 3 hours or less!

[ksfoxwald]

So I'm reading "Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity" by Bruce Bagemihl.

And it's from 1999 so half of it is "yes for real homosexuality is found in nature, plz no discriminate :(" But then I got to the chapter on "Nonreproductive and Alternative Sexualities in Animals" and

Vitually every animal population includes nonbreeding individuals. There is a tendency to regard the urge to procreate among animals as instinctual, all-pervasive, and unstoppable. While heterosexual interactions often do have that quality, there are just as many examples of animals who do not reproduce: individuals who actively remove themselves from the breeding cycle...

and

Why do animals not reproduce? Biologists have coined the term reproductive suppression to refer to various forms of nonbreeding, implying that all animals would breed if they could but are somehow "prevented" from doing so. However, the underlying mechanisms involved in nonbreeding are far more complex than this name implies...animals are often "voluntary" nonbreeders...

And listen. Listen. There's another quote that I thought was referenced somwhere in this book (cannot for the life of me find which page it is on though) that's like "when animals do something we like, it's natural, and when they do something we don't like, it's animalistic." We don't need to "prove" that asexuality is biological in nature in order for asexual people to deserve rights and respects. We've gone through this dance with homosexuality and transgenderism.

But a human being is an animal, and studying other animals shapes our understanding of what it means to be one kind of animal among many. And the idea that an individual's purpose is to reproduce is pretty capitalistic, if you think about it.

The other half of this book is a list of which animals have documented homosexual behaviors, and a description of those behaviors, and even though a lot of it is "X percent of males were observed doing Y behavior, X percent of interactions were Y in nature," it really drives home that animals are complex individuals. No one wolf is going to behave exactly like another wolf, any more than any human will act exactly like another human. Maybe there is an evolutionary advantage, maybe evolution is just weird and messy, but that's how the world is. The whole argument that "if everyone were gay/asexual/engaging in nonreproductive sexualities then the species would go extinct" is technically true but that's an extremely individualistic viewpoint. As a species - as a community - there is room for so much more.

Basic biology teaches us that all animals are driven by the need to reproduce, but advanced biology once again reveals a more complex picture.

This is just a long way to say that I didn't think I needed ace affirmation in scientific literature but actually I kind of did.

[lordsovorn]

There is a variety of misconceptions surrounding people of the Hand, stemming mainly from the more conservatively-minded. On the one hand, it is entirely understandable, and in fact people of the Hand often make conscious effort to manipulate how their prey perceives them. However, they are still entirely human, and operate on entirely human principles. And since a clean break between those who follow the path of the Hand and those who do not, does not, in fact, exist, the differences are actually entirely possible to wrap one's head around. Moreso, it is practical to do so, even for those who would prefer to consider the people of the Hand to be an atrocious anomaly.

People of the Hand have not, by any means, "descended into primitive savagery". Saying so implies a reversion of the evolutionary process to some kind of natural barbaric state, which couldn't be farther from the truth. There is nothing inherently natural about cannibalism as the primary means of sustenance and the indiscriminate inter-species violence, and nothing primitive about the strategy and tactics people of the Hand employ to that end. Their way of life is an adaption to brutal conditions of hunger and hopelessness - the next stage in changing human circumstances, in a way, rather than a regression to something that came before.

People of the Hand are not mad or deranged, in the strict mental sense, though their onslaught on the established norms may be instinctively interpreted as such. It is, of course, understandable why the City-dwellers used to delineate people of the Hand as "them", as creatures of an entirely different nature. However, for people of the Hand there exist no difference in nature or morality - only in behavior and in reasoning. They adhere to a strategy of hyper-rationalistic egoism that ensures individual survival at the ultimate cost to survival of the community and of the species. And they are being very smart about it.

Hunting other humans is not a moral choice for them, but an optimization - humans are simply easy to hunt in an environment drastically different from what they evolved to inhabit. It would be individually wasteful to ignore such easy prey.

Likewise, the brutality and excessive violence against the weak are little more than a tool to subjugate, intimidate and manipulate prey. On a case by case basis, it might influenced by individual empathy or malice, but overall it is simply an accepted, generally efficient strategy. The scars, the trophies, the marking of territory, the disturbing shrieks - they all might appear barbaric, but each display is a consciously crafted tool of psychological warfare. Which, again, would be stupid not to employ against prey capable of fear and unreasonable, emotionally driven behavior. The people of the Hand do not speak not because they can't or because they don't understand speech - they simply do not choose to communicate in ways that might give prey an advantage. Safe to say, making an impression of a savage monster is helpful to them in that way too.

The disdain for honor, law and emotional ties is likewise rooted in rationalistic desire to ensure one's own survival. No follower of the Hand will risk their life irrationally - no follower of the Hand will pass up an opportunity to ensure their own survival when another shows weakness. With no surplus in anything, survival in Under is as zero-sum a game as can possibly be. Here, a sacrifice of immediate benefit for the sake of vague and, frankly, unlikely prospects of individual or communal payback is considered simply absurd.

All of this, of course, is not rooted in biology, or in a deep-seated culture (let alone an underlying ethnicity; "tribe", as some might be tempted to assume). The Way of the Hand is a way of life. There is no inherent religious obligation to follow it forever (except individual delusions), no promise of reward beyond survival, no requirements for entry beyond the will to survive at any cost.

It is, in fact, common for individuals and familial groups to fluctuate in the degree of their adherence to the principles of the Hand depending on personal goals, material conditions and the well-being of their companions - when the equation changes, so does the framework of solving it. It is easy being "civilized" with well-stocked backpacks and well-armed companions - much less so with an injured dead-weight. Likewise, it is easy to choose between the life of your child and that of a stranger. And when the choice is between certain death for both or for one, for you or for another, what would be the rational thing to choose? Behind the monstrous behavior lies a particular brand of high rationality that leaves no room for sentimentalities, risky assumptions and hopes.

People of the Hand are different from what came before, there is no doubt to that. But there is nothing that has suddenly appeared within them that hasn't always been there. From the ways of thought before the Fall, the path of the Hand is different only in a matter of degree - the tightness of the limits of your priorities, and proximity of those you sacrifice for them.

[spacefinch]

Pokemon headcanons!

Combining my passion for Pokemon with my fascination for field guides!

The Pokedex entries do have some fun tidbits about the Pokemon, but are a bit lacking in biological and behavioral information. I have decided to remedy that, starting with some hc's about bird Pokemon.

Starly/Staravia/Staraptor

In the wild, Staraptors mate for life and reuse the same nesting site over several years. Every year, they add onto the nest. Abandoned Staraptor nests are sometimes taken over by Noctowl.

The young Starly stay with their Staraptor parents for up to two months. Once they leave the nest, they join a creche of juvenile Starly. Over time, the birds in a creche will form very strong bonds with one another.

Starly and Staravia both have a gregarious lifestyle. There are reports of their flocks numbering in the hundred thousands, or even millions. What's more, they can fly in almost perfect sync-- forming a mesmerizing murmuration. It is thought that this behavior evolved to confuse predators.

When Staravia are ready to evolve, they leave the flock and become solitary birds. However, they still retain some social instincts-- one of which is allopreening (preening or grooming another bird). Mated Staraptor will preen each other to strengthen their pair bond, and even non-mated Staraptor have been observed allopreening.

Staraptors will even groom other species of Pokemon, although this is more likely to happen with a trained Staraptor than a wild one. Sometimes they will even try to preen their Trainer's hair!

Since Starly and its evolutions are social species, it's reccomended that a trainer have at least one other Pokemon already in their possession before catching a Starly.

Their crests are more for show than for function. No matter what evolutionary stage, members of this line spend a lot of energy keeping their crests in tip-top shape.

Fletchling/Fletchinder/Talonflame

Female Talonflame can be up to 30 percent larger than the males (sometimes called tiercels.)

In the winter, flocks of Fletchlings huddle together for warmth. Sometimes there can be 20 or even 30 birds in one small hollow!

While the Starly family's crests are used mainly for display, Fletchinder and Talonflame use their crests for communication. A relaxed bird keeps its crest lowered, but if excited or agitated, it will raise its crest.

It is thought that Fletchinder and Talonflame evolved their fire-typing in order to give them an advantage hunting grass- and bug-type Pokemon, their main prey. Another theory is that they became fire-type to better deal with cold climates.

Fletchling and Fletchinder hunt prey in either one of two methods. The first method-- flycatching-- involves sitting on a fixed perch and flying out to snatch smaller Pokemon. The second method involves pursuing the prey on foot, often in a run-stop-run pattern.

Talonflame mostly prey upon smaller bird Pokemon, even ones that have a type advantage over them. When they spot prey, they "stoop" or make a near-vertical dive, then strike said prey with their talons. This stuns or even kills the prey upon impact.

Despite behaving much like Staraptor, Talonflame is actually more closely related to psittacine Pokemon such as Chatot and Squawkabilly. The fact that Staraptor and Talonflame are so similar is a result of convergent evolution.

[dumpsterfire-daydreams]

(Dead dove: do not eat, Alcohol, intoxication, flashing/voyeurism, rationalization of ogling, victim blaming ["she was asking for it" vibes, in a way], predatory behavior)

Reader POV:

As the dancing carried on into the night, König continued to loosen up until he felt comfortable letting go of your hand. Having broken through his hesitation with the help of a few drinks, he was actually starting to have fun! And you certainly weren’t complaining.

Typically, whenever you went out dancing with your girlfriends, you had to make sure you kept your wits about you. You’d never let the alcohol fully overcome your senses in case someone tried to use the atmosphere as a perfect excuse to rub themselves all over you without permission. A swift elbow to their chest was usually enough to get them to back off and leave you alone. Usually. But you’d rather choose awareness over having to fend off unwanted attention.

In truth, you felt like you were still getting your fair share of unwanted attention even now. But, so far, you hadn’t actually seen where it could be coming from. Ever since you’d stepped foot on the dance floor, you hadn’t been able to shake the creeping feeling that you were being watched. And that feeling made the hairs stand up on the back of your neck, setting you on edge. It was like some latent evolutionary survival instinct kicking in, warning you that there was danger lurking just around the corner. But so far, it was a corner that you hadn’t been able to spot yet. From your short stature and limited vantage point on the dance floor, all you could see were dancers surrounding you on all sides.

But with König at your back, you were able to more easily brush the paranoia aside. Knowing he literally had your back, you still felt safe enough to dance your little heart out without fear. He easily stood head and shoulders above anyone else out there. And all it would take is a glance up at his mask and a scowl from him to discourage any potential threats.

Even if they wanted to, they wouldn’t be able to get their hands on you now if they tried. Because König left not even the smallest gap between your bodies as he began synchronizing his steps with yours. Apparently, a drunk König meant a very handsy König too. His hands made themselves right at home at your waist or caressing your broad hips.

Feeling particularly bold, you leaned forward a bit and gave him a front row seat as you started twerking for him. When you glanced over your shoulder, you saw him practically mesmerized by the sensual movement. And since you were doubtful anyone else could see you in your current position, you decided this was the perfect opportunity to reveal your naughty surprise. Keeping your eyes on him to gauge his reaction, how leaned forward just a hair more. It wasn’t a huge movement, but you knew it would be just enough to make the hem of your dress rise an inch or two. And as it did, König gasped and let out an audible moan when he realized you weren’t wearing a stitch of clothing underneath it. He rushed forward to shield you with his body as he frantically tried to tug your dress back down.

“Nein, Maus,” he whispered urgently, leaning down so that you could hear him. “Not here. Someone could see.”

“No one’s looking but you,” you giggled and whispered back, realizing you were feeling a little tipsy. “And I want you to look.”

Taking advantage of his returned closeness, you ground your ass against his groin temptingly. And though he didn’t try to stop your movements, he still pulled your dress back down and made it his mission to ensure it stayed that way. You wanted to pout, initially having hoped he'd whisk you off to a bathroom or alleyway and rail you until you couldn't see straight. And your brazen action now left you a bit embarrassed. But at the same time, it turned you on to see him so determined that no one else even glance at what was rightfully his.

“Herkommen,” he murmured in your ear, gently tugging you out of the crowd and back towards your table. "I worry you're a bit more drunk than you might think."

You really pouted this time, the music calling to you like a siren's song. But König insisted.

"There will be more dancing tonight, I promise. Bitte, for me?"

He looked down at you, almost pleading. You knew you physically couldn't say no to his puppy dog eyes, so you nodded and obediently headed back to your seat. You stumbled the tiniest bit on your way there and wondered if König was right after all. Just how strong was that drink?

Ghost POV:

Out on the dancefloor, things were headed in a direction that Ghost quite enjoyed. They’d been out there dancing for a while now. And it seemed the alcohol was working its magic on the both of them. The crowd was a wild mass of bodies in motion. But every now and then, they would align just right and grant him a glimpse of his target. It was like the whole world had joined in on teasing him, edging him closer and closer to what he craved so badly. He imagined it was his body she was rubbing herself all over, not König's. His hands on those curves of hers, not König's.

But the next glimpse he got of her made his cock twitch in his pants. She was behaving like an absolute whore, bending over to grant König a peek up her dress. He could tell by the smirk on her face that it was wholly intentional, too. And as luck would have it, Ghost had a direct line of sight to her raunchy display. But he found himself biting back a moan when he caught an unexpected glimpse of bare flesh. Fuck. She wasn’t wearing panties. And she’d just unknowingly flashed him from across the room. He couldn’t tear his eyes away and it took every ounce of his strength not to pounce right then and there. But his mood darkened when he saw that König was yet again ruining his fun, stepping in to guard her honor and unknowingly block his view.

It was then and there that Ghost made up his mind. The plan was decided. And if everything went according to plan, this would be the very last time König would get to enjoy her like this. Because when the night was over, Ghost fully intended to stake his claim. To capture his prize.

Slamming his fist on the bar, he snapped the bartender to immediate attention. It looked like he'd be purchasing a drink tonight after all.

I know this story includes some pretty dark themes. But at the end of the day, I care more about the well-being of my readers than I do for hits or kudos. Period. I never want my writing to conjure up emotions or feelings that negatively impact you beyond the story. This story can be dark and uncomfortable at times. But it is always intended strictly for fun and fantasy. If at any point along the way it stops being a pleasurable experience, please please close this page and walk away. My stories are never worth your well-being, loves.

[gay-artificer]

i would LOVE to hear your specbio on slugcats and scavengers you've mentioned before

Im gonna do scavengers because its been bouncing around in my head But to do that we first have to talk about chickens... female chickens have this really interesting thing going on, where, despite developing two gonads (reproductive gland/organ) during embryonic growth- only one (the left) matures into a full-fledged ovary. However theres a lot of reasons why an ovary might stop working for a growing chicken, especially an old one, and if it happens to be that left one then the hen has no mature backup, but the body tries to anyway by developing the right gonad if its healthy. This can develop into a proper ovary, but sometimes you get something thats sort of inbetween an ovary and testicle, referred to as an ovotestis. (Sometimes, humans develop ovotestes instead of one or the other. This is a variation of intersex. As a fun aside to this, i believe moles are the only mammal known to have ovotestes by default. Isn't it fun how different things are even for things 'relatively' similar?) Back to chickens though- this prompts what we call sex reversal! The hen, who is still by all means a hen on a genetic level, starts to develop rooster traits- sickle feathers, comb style, size- she may even develop a crow or other 'male' behaviors as the hormonal balance shifts to favor male traits. This is something only seen in females, likely just do to the mechanics of how the organs and hormones work. Anyway I like to think Elite scavengers are an evolutionary development of something intentionally like that. While scouting groups are mixed sex, Females who are old enough for it often return back to a central large tribe 'base' to have raise young in the safety of a denser, more protected community. As a result of this, females tend to live longer than males on average and more commonly reach an age where fertility would decline. Older individuals see their reproductive systems completely shut down and the hormonal shift procs the accelerated development of both muscle and horns.

(There is, of course, a ton of natural variation in the Scavenger population even within dimorphism, and its not that uncommon to find a particularly masculine young female scavenger; or even young females who have already begun to express 'Elite' typical traits. Or a short-horned male- so its a trend, but hardly reliable) The babies all look the same though, its not something you notice till they hit adulthood

In terms of evolutionary advantage, I like to think that in the close-knit scavenger tribes an 'Elite' would be old enough to have grandchildren, so the process allows no longer reproductive members to become extra defense around the community and their family lineage. They mostly stay close to the primary scavenger home, although will often join wandering groups or outposts if they have younger members who are learning. (When Artificer ransacked Metropolis, It wiped out a massive portion of the wider areas elite scavenger population. It took a long portion of time for new scavengers to age into the role, and additionally a large amount of technical knowledge was lost with newer elites often being less bold. So recovery was slow, and even afterwards elites in the area primarily became a protective unit for the home base and did not travel as far.

[whatsmyisyours]

RAIN WORLD PEEPS I HAVE MORE THOUGHTS TO SHARE ABOUT A GREEN CAT

Spoilers for the ENTIRE Saint and the endings for the rest of the Scugs campaigns below, also long watchout.

So we all know how Saint is an echo and how we all agree that the want to ascend others is what we saw in its campagin, but how did it get stuck in the first place because I highly doubt it started wanting to ascend other creatures across of all future time, plus why doesn't it carry over its powers?

The Hypothesis of Saints Past

Unlike most Slugcats, Saint has no Scug family or friends to speak of or memory of and no connection to any Iterator, most likely "born" with its powers. (To those of the "Saint is made by Sliver" truthers gang (same), we have no other base than Sliver is dead and Saint is able to ascend Iterators. I think any Iterator that made a triple affirmative into an animal would wipe its memory of them because that connection could stop them from doing their job properly). This most likely caused a great loneliness in Saint, and assuming that Saint started off from "birth" with its powers it also likely had knowledge from other echoes about what ascension might bring, which is heavily implied to be some form of afterlife (there has to be more than 6 egotisitcs from Ancient civilization). For Survivor and Monk it was reunion with each other and their family, with Hunter it was reunion with its creator, even Artificer who doesn't succeed in ascension due to genocided got to see its kids.

With this I think Saint want to Ascend so badly that I was bound by that desire. Sidenote: I am believe that Rain World Ascension works very similarily to Buddhism and that any want you do not let go of will tie you and not let you reach Nirvana (in Rain World Ascension). Now, the question of the ancients, they want to ascend really bad right? No. They wanted to die. They didn't care what waited for them after, they were of the opinion "anything else is better than this". So now 2

2. Proof

Example A. BUGS

Saint does NOT LIKE eating bugs, however you can force feed Saint bugs, and what happens? Saint seizies. This however is unusal behavior. Usually slugcats know what they can and cannot eat and will not let you force feed them harmful things, shaking their heads no when you press to eat, so why does Saint? Because Saint isn't seizing, it is throwing up. Cats unlike rats have a gag reflect for posion, but if was bad enough to make Saint sick shouldn't Saint follow the lead of the others and just not eat it? Because bugs don't make Saint sick, this point will be further covered in...

Example B. EVOLUTIONARY ADVANTAGE, WHO'S THAT? - SAINT

With the snow and cold being here, what is the evolutionary advantage is there to being a vegan? There was one for Rivulet because of the quick rain, plants would be more plentiful and animal + insects less, however in a snow covered world it just doesn't make sense. Meat would be the primary source of nutritions, insects maybe, frUIT????? SEEDS?????? Theres no point, the plants made for Rain are dying (popcorn plant), are dead (lilypuck), or extremely localized to a reigion(gooieduck).

Example B2. PASSAGE, ACHIEVEMENT, SAINT

A lot of people like to assume that the passage with the corrsponding name relate to the slugcat, everyone knows how to get the Saint passage right? No? You have to starve, this is a mini point because...

Example C. EAT THE GRAVEL, DRINK THE TEA

Both Moon and Pebbles speak on how the Ancient's thought they could ascened through eating gravel, drinking tea, and starvation. And after the echos were discovered was thought to be needed by some. Saint is doing the same behavior, denying itself the easiest route of survival by eating insects and instead trying to survive off of plants than make other creatures suffer. Thus in Saint's eyes it would be better to starve then to eat a bug, least Saint be brought down by an act of violence against another creature in an act of survival and gulttony.

Example D1CK. HELL PULLS NO PUNCHES, HEAVEN ACCEPTS NO CREDIT CARDS

So, while I understand it was more of a joke here is a statement from the devs about why, when forced Slugpup spawn is on in a Saint campagin there is a 100% chance of one in Rubicon:

However, Slugpups in hell could also be torment for Saint; "Here is the connection you crave so desperately you'd die for it." In a place where ANYTHING can kill the pup. It's hell. That is why I am also mixing with the point that the reason Saint keep ascending other beings is because it assumes that ascending others, espcially those that want to be *cough* Iterators *cough* would get Saint enough "good" Karma to ascend, yet no matter how many or how few things you ascend as Saint, it never gets to. This is because ascending others has become another want that ties Saint down. You can't hurt others more than taking choice away from them assuming your doing the best thing for them without asking. Also if you ascend both Moon and Pebbles, they get to see each other as they never have before. They could have been put in separate room and referenced that they could feel each other while also saying their ascended alone dialogue, but they aren't. They have each other, and Rubicon makes sure Saint see's this before it leaves

Example E. THEMES? IN MY FUNNY PAIN SIMULATOR? MORE LIKELY THAN YOU'D THINK

There are themes and inspriations from Buddihism that I've glossed over, but there are also a few from Christian. For one, there are the first six Karmic desires 1 violence, 2 lust, 3 companionship, 4 gulttony, 5 survival. Most of these have ties to seven deadly sins in christian mythos. Thus, I would like to pose a theme for the funny pain simulator: "Those that wish for Heaven, will find a self-made Hell waiting instead." Why? For both Iterators and Ancients they wished for an end, any. Yet it only found them through luck. It was luck that the Ancients drilled into the void and it was luck that Saint came for Five Pebbles and Looks to the Moon. Saint has only wished for an end, and it went into the void sea with this mindset. Now it is stuck, stuck staring at the tenth karmic symbol, the symbol for ascension, and the symbol for the desire of ascension for the self and others. Because it became an echo at some point, I don't think the campagin we play is Saint first run through the cycle, as it doesn't wake with its powers and even without eating a neuron Saint can see Void Spawn, something it is stripped of through the void and get back through echos.

Rebuttal(s)

Wouldn't want of compaionship stick Saint at karma 3 instead of being at a natural 10 with its powers?

I believe the void sea put a lock on Saint's powers, I think before Saints first attempt at ascension Saint's powers could be accessed at any karma level, as they are once you unlock them.

Then why does Monk and Survivor get to ascend even though they want campaginionship?

Excluding Saint, all slugcat have to be told about the void by Iterators. Those Iterators don't know about the afterlife, thus any time you ascend as a slugcat, the slugcat is probably expect a death that ends in nothingness, not reunion, completing the ascension as whatever slugcat you play as lets go of its karmic desires.

Conclusion

Saint is a lonely cat that is way more tragic why you attempt to analyize the poor thing, stuck suffering in a cycle of its own make, forever seeing itself grant others what it longs for, forever going into Rubicon and seeing a reunion of siblings separated by selfness and kindness. In Pebbles (ascended alone) words:

" An aberrant cycle twisting... spiraling onward into the abyss. What a horrifying destiny [its] found."

[scifigeneration]

Winter brings more than just ugly sweaters – here’s how the season can affect your mind and behavior

by Michael Varnum, Associate Professor of Psychology at Arizona State University and Ian Hohm, Graduate Student of Psychology at the University of British Columbia

What comes to mind when you think about winter? Snowflakes? Mittens? Reindeer? In much of the Northern Hemisphere, winter means colder temperatures, shorter days and year-end holidays.

Along with these changes, a growing body of research in psychology and related fields suggests that winter also brings some profound changes in how people think, feel and behave.

While it’s one thing to identify seasonal tendencies in the population, it’s much trickier to try to untangle why they exist. Some of winter’s effects have been tied to cultural norms and practices, while others likely reflect our bodies’ innate biological responses to changing meteorological and ecological conditions. The natural and cultural changes that come with winter often occur simultaneously, making it challenging to tease apart the causes underlying these seasonal swings.

With our colleagues Alexandra Wormley and Mark Schaller, we recently conducted an extensive survey of these findings.

Wintertime blues and a long winter’s nap

Do you find yourself feeling down in the winter months? You’re not alone. As the days grow shorter, the American Psychiatric Association estimates that about 5% of Americans will experience a form of depression known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD.

People experiencing SAD tend to have feelings of hopelessness, decreased motivation to take part in activities they generally enjoy, and lethargy. Even those who don’t meet the clinical threshold for this disorder may see increases in anxiety and depressive symptoms; in fact, some estimates suggest more than 40% of Americans experience these symptoms to some degree in the winter months.

Scientists link SAD and more general increases in depression in the winter to decreased exposure to sunlight, which leads to lower levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Consistent with the idea that sunlight plays a key role, SAD tends to be more common in more northern regions of the world, like Scandinavia and Alaska, where the days are shortest and the winters longest.

Humans, special as we may be, are not unique in showing some of these seasonally linked changes. For instance, our primate relative the Rhesus macaque shows seasonal declines in mood.

It can feel hard to get out of bed on dark mornings. 

Some scientists have noted that SAD shows many parallels to hibernation – the long snooze during which brown bears, ground squirrels and many other species turn down their metabolism and skip out on the worst of winter. Seasonal affective disorder may have its roots in adaptations that conserve energy at a time of year when food was typically scarce and when lower temperatures pose greater energetic demands on the body.

Winter is well known as a time of year when many people put on a few extra pounds. Research suggests that diets are at their worst, and waistlines at their largest, during the winter. In fact, a recent review of studies on this topic found that average weight gains around the holiday season are around 1 to 3 pounds (0.5 to 1.3 kilograms), though those who are overweight or obese tend to gain more.

There’s likely more going on with year-end weight gain than just overindulgence in abundant holiday treats. In our ancestral past, in many places, winter meant that food became more scarce. Wintertime reductions in exercise and increases in how much and what people eat may have been an evolutionary adaptation to this scarcity. If the ancestors who had these reactions to colder, winter environments were at an advantage, evolutionary processes would make sure the adaptations were passed on to their descendants, coded into our genes.

Sex, generosity and focus

Beyond these winter-related shifts in mood and waistlines, the season brings with it a number of other changes in how people think and interact with others.

One less discussed seasonal effect is that people seem to get friskier in the winter months. Researchers know this from analyses of condom sales, sexually transmitted disease rates and internet searches for pornography and prostitution, all of which show biannual cycles, peaking in the late summer and then in the winter months. Data on birth rates also shows that in the United States and other countries in the Northern Hemisphere, babies are more likely to be conceived in the winter months than at other times of the year.There’s more to a holiday bump in romance than just opportunity. 

Although this phenomenon is widely observed, the reason for its existence is unclear. Researchers have suggested many explanations, including health advantages for infants born in late summer, when food may historically have been more plentiful, changes in sex hormones altering libido, desires for intimacy motivated by the holiday season, and simply increased opportunities to engage in sex. However, changes in sexual opportunities are likely not the whole story, given that winter brings not just increased sexual behaviors, but greater desire and interest in sex as well.

Winter boosts more than sex drive. Studies find that during this time of year, people may have an easier time paying attention at school or work. Neuroscientists in Belgium found that performance on tasks measuring sustained attention was best during the wintertime. Research suggests that seasonal changes in levels of serotonin and dopamine driven by less exposure to daylight may help explain shifts in cognitive function during winter. Again, there are parallels with other animals – for instance, African striped mice navigate mazes better during winter.

And there may also be a kernel of truth to the idea of a generous Christmas spirit. In countries where the holiday is widely celebrated, rates of charitable giving tend to show a sizable increase around this time of year. And people become more generous tippers, leaving about 4% more for waitstaff during the holiday season. This tendency is likely not due to snowy surroundings or darker days, but instead a response to the altruistic values associated with winter holidays that encourage behaviors like generosity.

People change with the seasons

Like many other animals, we too are seasonal creatures. In the winter, people eat more, move less and mate more. You may feel a bit more glum, while also being kinder to others and having an easier time paying attention. As psychologists and other scientists research these kinds of seasonal effects, it may turn out that the ones we know about so far are only the tip of the iceberg.

[squidbiology]

Besides the obvious tentacles and swim form, are they any differences between inklings and octolings?

Oh yeah, plenty.

This got a little long, so I'm gonna stick it under a cut!

For starters, they're so genetically different, they haven't been able to crossbreed for thousands, if not millions of years; since back before they were even faintly sapient.

The reason they're so similar is that they're essentially... mimics. When early inklings evolved social packs, sometimes octolings would be mistaken for inklings, and get adopted into the group... which was a HUGE advantage for previously loner cephalopods. So they leaned into it heavily, and evolved to look (and act) even more similarly to inklings, to become essentially social parasites, which is fascinating!

Of course, many people consider the word parasite to be harsh, but they weren't harming inklings. If anything, having greater numbers was beneficial for the group, even if octolings couldn't benefit inklings in a reproductive sense.

However, they are still mimics at heart, and there are a lot of visual and behavioral differences.

The first, as you mentioned, are the tentacles. Aside from having more suckers and suckers on the topsides; octolings tentacles are also prehensile. Inkling tentacles are full of fat and have little to no nerves or muscle, while octoling tentacles are full of nerves, blood vessels, and muscles; and can be moved and feel pain.

There's also a difference in the structure of the beaks. Inkling beaks tend to be more towards gripping, which means they're thicker at the points, while octoling beaks tend to be thicker near the back for crushing and crunching things.

This also leads into a behavioral difference- Inklings were a bit more of a grappling and stealth/pursuit predator, similar to felines and active hunting snakes, though they hunted in packs. This makes inklings a lot more speedy, flighty, and most of all, bitey and prone to chase.

Octolings, on the other hand, evolved to be ambush predators, or to use their smarts to gather and hunt more sedentary creatures such as mussels and crabs. Because of that, they prefer to run or hide, and aren't quite as social in a fight.

Octolings also love to use that instinctual puzzle-solving brain! Jigsaw puzzles, puzzle boxes, food where you have to work for it (like crab or pomegranate), and even mechanics are popular hobbies and activities, while inklings tend to be more flippant "i want it now and easy" in their hobbies.

If anything, it was probably octarians in their early packs that helped inklings evolve into a more intelligent, sapient species so quickly, along with their cousins.

Which meant that after the great turf wars, there's now a noticeable gap between inkling and octarian technology- as they were meant to function together, and now octarians are at least 15 years ahead of inklings in terms of technology, which as only started to be resolved in the past three years.

This isn't to say inklings are stupid- they're actually quite smart, in their own way. Octolings just have a knack for technology specifically that inkling brains tend to lack.

Some other visual differences include ears, and masks. Octolings actually had masks until relatively recently on the evolutionary tree. This is theorized to have been when they were estranged from Inklings and forced down into the domes- those masks that protected them from sunlight now made them struggle to see in the dark, and weren't necessary, so they began to lose them rather quickly. They also can be lighter colors, such as purples, blues, and greens rather than only pure black.

(This also means that now, on the surface, a lot of octolings are experiencing eye issues).

Another thing to point out about the eyes is pupil shape. Inklings have a horizontally slit pupil- which can expand into a circle, and that is the most common shape. Octolings, on the other hand, have a "peanut shaped" pupil, which expands into a large square shape.

You may also notice that some octarians have green scleras, which is a side effect of genetic cloning.

There's also claws and hooks. While inklings have chitinous hooks that are retractable, octolings do not. Instead, they have much larger, thicker claws at the ends of their fingertips that can't retract. This is because they're actually made of hardened skin, rather than chitin.

This, combined with the fact they can't retract, mean that their claws are often rather dull unless consistently filed and maintained.

There's also their patterning. Inklings almost exclusively have spotted patterning- though they can make shapes with their chromatophores, they tend to struggle making details instead of changing to a single color.

Octarians, on the other hand, have a much finer motor control of their color-changing, able to make detailed patterns on their skin. Their chromatophores actually much more comfortable rest in "ring" or "striped" patterns instead of simple dots.

Lastly, as mentioned here, octolings never stop growing. At older ages, octolings will be much, much larger than inklings.

I feel like I might be missing something, but this is the basics.

[kyoxyukiforever]

The Science of A/B/O

Part 1 - The Basics

Part 1 (The Basics), Part 2 (Heats and Ruts), Part 3 (Scents and Pheromones), Part 4 (Mating)

Warning: sex ed that no one asked for and all that that implies

I cannot believe I'm doing this.

I've kind of been fascinated by the whole alpha/beta/omega concept in fanfiction for a while. I've read a lot of it. I like how it allows authors to explore themes of sexism, sexualization, and r*pe culture through a fantastical lens, making those topics less triggering as they are seen in a distant and unrealistic universe instead of our own.

And yeah, sometimes it can be really hot.

So I thought I'd take a look at the actual science behind this whole thing, and share the results here in case anyone is... even remotely interested. Obviously, there is no correct way for A/B/O to work. This is all in good fun and you can take or leave the information here as you like.

So, first off!

WHAT ARE ALPHAS, BETAS, AND OMEGAS?

The whole concept of A/B/O is based on the social hierarchy found in wolf packs. Bear in mind that this is JUST a social hierarchy, there are no obvious biological differences between alphas, betas, and omegas, at least as far as wolves are concerned. Instead, the difference is, for the most part, social. This whole theory has actually been challenged in recent years as to it's accuracy, but here are the basics of the theory, whether they be accurate or not:

In a wolf pack, there are two alphas: the alpha male and the alpha female. These two are a mated pair, and the reason is because they carry the best genetics. An example: the alphas in the pack will have larger paws or healthier coats, which will give their pups an advantage in life.

Betas are the second in command: "deputies" for the alphas.

Omegas are the wolves in the pack with the weakest genetics. If these wolves are caught trying to mate (with each other or other wolves in the pack) the alphas and betas will attack them, preventing them from reproducing.

Not all wolves in a pack fall under these three labels. Barbara Zimmermann, a professor at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences suggests that "[...]there may be several rank levels, beta, gamma and so on."

But WHO CARES! This clearly isn't what A/B/O is in our fantastical, fictional context. The only thing that really applies is the order of social standing these words suggest: with alphas at the top of the pecking order and omegas at the bottom, with betas being somewhere in between.

Well, that leaves us with the tropes of the A/B/O genre, so let's get into it.

Every individual has two sexes: the primary and secondary sex. The primary sex being male/female, the secondary sex being alpha/beta/omega. (I actually think these terms would be switched: the A/B/O sex seems to matter a lot more than the m/f sex, both socially and biologically.) These sexes can combine in any available way: alpha males, alpha females, beta males, beta females, omega males, omega females.

In most versions of the A/B/O mythos, betas are sort of just... people, like we are. No noticeable differences in anatomy, physiology, or behavior.

Things only get different when we hit alphas and omegas. The biggest difference seems to be reproductive: alphas, both male and female, can impregnate someone, and omegas, male or female, can become pregnant and give birth.

Now, I've seen versions of A/B/O where male omegas and/or female alphas cannot reproduce at all, and are seen as useless as a result. This is well and good narratively, but there is no evolutionary advantage to this, and a genetic mutation resulting in a largely sterile population wouldn't last long from an evolutionary standpoint. But, again, it probably doesn't matter that much if you just want to write about two guys doing anal without all the prep work.

However, a mutation that encourages more frequent, more urgent reproduction? That definitely has an evolutionary advantage. Scientifically, the emergence of alphas and omegas in the human species was likely a result of dwindling populations. So, somewhere in the distant history of your A/B/O fic, that might have been a thing. How long ago did it happen? Who knows! It could have been before our ancestors even evolved into homo sapiens - some genetic mutations stick around so long we don't even think of them as mutations anymore - Type O is the most common blood type, but it's actually recessive!

So, scientifically, what does that mean for alphas and omegas in our hypothetical universe? Well, alphas and omegas can actually be explained (to an extent) by combining two real genetic traits: intersexuality and the replacement of menstrual cycles with estrous cycles.

Let's start off with...

INTERSEXUALITY

Now, the term 'intersexual' is a bit misleading, because it's not actually a sexuality. It's actually an umbrella term for individuals who are born with any number or combination of sex characteristics that "do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies." Or, put less eloquently, when people are born with both male and female sexual or reproductive organs/chromosomes.

This mutation actually wouldn't apply to all alphas and omegas: just female alphas and male omegas. In order for a male omega to be capable of conceiving and carrying a baby to term, he would have to have ovaries, fallopian tubes, a uterus and an opening through which sperm can enter that system. Now, since you may be wondering: is it even remotely possible for that opening to be in or attached to the anal canal?

Unfortunately... no. There IS a condition known as rectovaginal fistula, where there is a connection between a person's rectum and vagina, but this condition is HORRIFYING and causes more health problems than I can list here. It requires intense treatments, medication, and surgery. All around just a terrible condition to have.

So, a male omega would have to have a vagina, in our little thought experiment. He could, however, still have a penis. During prenatal development, the ambisexual genital tubercle forms into either a penis or a clitoris. In fact, when female to male transgender individuals have what is referred to as 'bottom surgery,' their surgeon will simply use existing erectile tissue that makes up the clitoris (only a small portion of which is ever visible externally) to create a penis. Basically, the penis does not in any way hinder a male omega's ability to get pregnant.

As far as penis size goes, we can assume that it wouldn't be comparable to beta or alpha penises, simply because there would be no biological need for the omega penis to be of a certain length. The reason penises are the size and shape they are is to get sperm as close to the egg as possible. Think of the omega penis like nipples on men: for pleasure and decoration only. There's room for variation here - the author could decide that male omega genitals are indistinguishable from the genitals of female omegas and betas or that they might have what trans men on testosterone refer to as bottom growth.

And omegas wouldn't have testicles either, simply because during prenatal development, the gonads become either ovaries or testes. Since they need ovaries, they can't have testes.

As for female alphas, their genitals would have to be virtually indistinguishable from the genitals of a male alpha. Could they have a penis and a vagina like omega males, with their testes simply hidden inside their bodies like ovaries are hidden? Again, no. A vagina that leads nowhere is... possible, I suppose, but because it serves no purpose beyond pleasure and decoration, it likely wouldn't be wide or deep enough to fit much inside of it.

As for internal testes, that's a solid no. Have you ever wondered why the testicles are outside of the body, in what is a much more vulnerable position? It's because sperm require a very specific temperature to survive, and the inside of the human body is too hot. So, if you want alpha females to be able to reproduce in your fic, they also have to have balls, tragically.

This next part actually kind of allows you to pick and choose, which is cool. Let's talk about...

HORMONES AND LACTATION

First off, it's important to say that men do actually have all the necessary equipment to lactate: nipples, mammary glands, and pituitary glands. The only reason they don't lactate is because their prolactin levels aren't high enough. When a woman becomes pregnant, her body produces more prolactin, allowing her to lactate, but lactation can occur without a pregnancy. This is called galactorrhea: its most common causes in real life are medications and hypothyroidism, and it occurs in both males and females.

But, in our little experiment, we could posit that prolactin levels might rise in a female alpha in response to being around a pregnant mate, friend, or family member. It's been shown that a man's body can have several physiological reactions when their partner is pregnant, one of which is called couvade, or "sympathetic pregnancy," so it's not as much of a stretch as you might think.

So this actually leaves the writer with some choices: do male omegas lactate, or do female alphas lactate to pick up the slack? Maybe they BOTH lactate. Possibilities! Granted, we have yet to observe in nature a species that requires two different parents to birth and nurse their offspring, but with our posited mutation causing males to be able to become pregnant, I certainly wouldn't rule it out.

Earlier, I said that scientifically speaking, a female alpha's genitalia would be virtually indistinguishable from a male alpha's. If that's the case, how do we tell the difference between female and male alphas? At time of birth, you couldn't, unless a doctor performed a hormone test on the infant in question.

As the alpha grew older, however, puberty would reveal all! We can assume that a male alpha would be dealing with a lot of testosterone, both during and after puberty. This would result in a more masculine frame and a deeper voice. A male alpha would also have more androgens than a female alpha, creating what we typically think of as a masculine hair growth pattern.

A female alpha might have a more balanced quantity of estrogen and testosterone. In real life, healthy testosterone levels are much higher in men than in women, but healthy estrogen levels in men and women actually overlap. This means that a premenopausal woman might have less estrogen than a man of the same age, and there would be no obvious masculine features in the woman as a result.

What does this mean for alpha females? Well, it means that the alpha female could conceivably have a feminine frame, carrying fat in her hips and thighs and developing breasts as she went through puberty. Her voice wouldn't have to drop to the point of sounding masculine, and she could still have a healthy sperm count. She also wouldn't have to have a masculine hair growth pattern - she simply has fewer androgens. Her testosterone levels would be higher than the average beta woman, but that just means she might be taller, more muscular, and perhaps a little (or a lot) more aggressive.

As for omegas, a similar principle applies. A female omega would likely have normal estrogen and testosterone levels for a woman, unless she were in heat (more on that later). A male omega would, again, have a more even balance. That means enough testosterone to have a masculine voice and build, and enough estrogen to have a healthy ovulation cycle. The only time this becomes a problem is during pregnancy. Testosterone levels would naturally taper off while pregnant, due to the threat testosterone poses to a healthy fetus. When transgender men become pregnant, it is essential that they go off their hormone treatments in order to avoid deformities in their children.

This tapering off of testosterone levels could have all kinds of side effects. A pregnant male omega might experience weight redistribution, mood swings, and loss of hair on their chest, face, etc., but that doesn't sound too far off from what any normal person experiences during pregnancy.

Another thing that can vary depending on the author is chest/breast growth. It depends on a lot of things. Increased estrogen levels do cause chest/breast growth, as we've observed in transgender women who are on hormones, but that chest/breast growth is often not nearly as substantial as those women might expect or hope for. In 2017, a study showed that trans women saw an average increase in chest circumference of 3.1 inches after a year on hormones, with most of that growth occurring in the first six months. That is not a lot. A male omega would still be a solid member of the itty bitty titty committee after a pregnancy.

Something that might increase the chest circumference further is the chest wall displacement that occurs during pregnancy. This is when the lungs, ribcage, and diaphragm move up and out to accommodate the baby. This wouldn't make the breasts themselves bigger, though. The thing that might change this is prolactin, that hormone I mentioned earlier that causes lactation. Well, it also causes chest/breast growth. So, depending on if you want your male omega to lactate or not, your male omega could see significantly more chest/breast growth. Regardless, the growth a male omega would see during pregnancy would eventually go away, either after the pregnancy is over or once he stops breast/chest-feeding.

Now for the moment we've all been waiting for...

HEATS AND RUTS

Part 1 (The Basics), Part 2 (Heats and Ruts), Part 3 (Scents and Pheromones), Part 4 (Mating), Part 5 (Genetics and Presenting)

[selene1946]

Homo Todarode novus and Homo Octopoda sapien eye functions

It is plausible that during the early stages of their evolution on land, the ancestors of Homo Todarode novus and Homo Octopoda sapien were subject to predation by unknown predators, although the specifics of these predators remain unclear. This selective pressure may have favored the development of horizontally elongated pupils, which provide a broader field of vision at the expense of image clarity. This adaptation would have been advantageous for early H. Todarode novus, while H. Octopoda sapien already exhibited similar ocular traits.

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As their evolutionary contexts shifted and their eyes gradually migrated to a more forward-facing position, the horizontal pupil shape became less critical. However, this trait persisted, as it did not significantly impede their visual function. Consequently, their field of vision (FOV) remains noticeably wider than that of modern humans, though not to the extent observed in animals like horses. These species retain the ability to dilate their pupils to a circular shape when a clearer image is needed, albeit at the cost of a reduced FOV. This dilation process is partially under voluntary control, though it is moderated by environmental light conditions to prevent excessive pupil dilation in bright settings, thereby protecting the eyes from potential damage.

In practical terms, H. Todarode novus and H. Octopoda sapien typically exhibit horizontal pupils when they are observing their surroundings or in a resting state. Conversely, they will adopt a circular pupil shape when engaged in tasks requiring enhanced visual clarity, such as reading fine print or aiming at targets. This behavior is frequently observed among H. Todarode novus during activities like Turf Wars.

However, it is important to note that while some may find this appearance endearing, it is considered inappropriate to express amusement or fascination in such situations, as these individuals are sentient beings deserving of respect, not objects of curiosity.

In combat scenarios, especially among H. Octopoda sapien (often referred to as Octarians), eye coverings are commonly utilized as part of their gear. These coverings regulate the amount of light entering the eyes, allowing soldiers to more easily switch between pupil shapes and thereby gain a visual advantage in battle. In contrast, H. Todarode novus are less consistent in adopting this practice, often prioritizing fashion over functionality; if the eyewear does not meet their aesthetic standards, they may simply refuse to wear it.

A related consideration is that some individuals suffer from ocular conditions that impair their ability to properly dilate or constrict their pupils, either due to congenital factors or later damage. The character Acht Mizuta, also known as "Dedf1sh," exemplifies how such a condition might manifest in an Octoling, although this issue is unrelated to the process of sanitization. Individuals with such visual impairments often rely on sunglasses to compensate for their eyes' inability to adequately protect against bright light, as the risk of light damage is more significant than the challenges of low-light vision. However, in the case of Acht, it appears they were not taking such precautions prior to receiving sunglasses from Kamabo Co., reflecting a certain disregard for their own well-being.